Right Time Right Place
by finnbalor
Summary: A certain NXT superstar has a very unique first meeting with a young lady while out at a park one day. (loosely based on a dream i had of him last night)


a/n: this is based on a dream I had last night. Glad I actually remembered enough of it to be able to write this one-shot.

Taylor was running around the lakeside. Enjoying the nice breeze and the sunshine that was beaming down on her. She could see the groups of kids running around, screaming and playing. Parents were in groups as well, chatting and watching over the kids.

Taylor was in the zone. Urging herself to push on, just a little further, another quarter mile, then another and then one more. As she was beginning her cool down, she pulled out her earbuds. It was a little jolting to go from the soft music in her ear, yeah most people listen to power anthems or rock music when they exercised but she preferred something soft and calming, to the cacophony of noises.

The high-pitched shrieking of children and dozens of voices that seemed to just be pushing into her. She needed to find a quiet place, so she headed to the wooded section of the lake. It wasn't very heavily wooded but wooded enough that parents tended to avoid the area so they could keep a clear view of their children at all times.

It was a very popular spot for the runners and those seeking solitude. As she rounded the bend, she saw this tall gentleman sitting on the bank looking morose. His leg was in a heavy cast and he was using a stick into that cast. He was muttering to himself and was quite unaware that he was being watched.

Deciding to give him the privacy he obviously desired, she turned and walked over to one of the numerous park benches. As Taylor was getting her second water bottle out of her fanny pack, she heard a man yell and then big splash. Instantly without thought, she was running to the lake. As she ran, she unhooked her fanny pack, letting it hit the ground, and without a second thought, she was in the water.

The man with the cast was flapping around, fighting to keep his head above water, his leg being weighed down by the layers of plaster. Taylor dodged his swinging arms, trying to capture his attention. She knew she was going to need his help if she was going to get him out of the water. Such a tall man, he was going to be heavy. Not fat heavy, but more like that was a lot of body to be trying to lift.

Deciding enough was enough, Taylor screamed at the top of her lungs "SHUT UP". The man was so startled by her outburst, that he immediately paused long enough for her to swim closer to him.

"It's okay. You're gonna be okay. I'm going to get you out of here but I'm going to need your help."

Using a soft voice to keep him calm, she swam even closer, continuing to speak softly. Once she was close enough to actually touch him, she instructed him to wrap his arm around her shoulder. She was going to buddy swim him closer to the bank. With all his flailing around, he had moved a good distance away from land. She could feel him starting to slip down under the water.

"Try floating on your back. I'll support your leg."

Five long minutes later, they reached the bank. Know the hard part, how to lift this exhausted man out of the water. She was debating between jumping out of the water and pulling him up or trying to push him out of the water.

Before she had finished internally debating, the man began to pull himself out of the water. Momentarily distracted by the corded muscles that glistened in the sunlight, Taylor was startled when his hand slipped in the mud on the bank and down again he went.

Diving under the water, she slipped her arms around his massive chest and swam up. As he was coughing up all the water he had swallowed, she looked him over. His eyes were red-rimmed. She could feel his body shivering. Even though it was close to 80 degrees and sunny, he was in shock.

She knew she was in deep trouble now. He was no longer responding to her voice. She was pretty much on her own in this rescue effort. She scanned the bank. Looking for any area that would be easier to roll him up. Of course the only area that would be the most helpful was several feet down.

Keeping his body parallel to the bank, she began to swim sideways. She kept talking to him. Letting him know everything that they were doing. She wished she had taken the moment to ask him his name earlier. It was getting difficult to think of things to call him.

Reaching the spot, she scanned around looking for anyone who was close enough to hear her call out for help. The families were too far away to hear her and no one was around. Cursing under her breath, she pushed him until his back was against the grass and dirt. She really needed about twenty more arms at this point.

She had to figure out how to keep him from slipping under the water again, while also trying to lift his leg onto land, and push him at the same time. Damn this to hell and back.

Taylor switched positons and wrapping her legs around his hips, she pulled herself up on the bank. She gathered her strength and breath. Using her upper arm strength, she crab walked backwards, using her legs to pull him out a little at a time. Once she had him as far out as she could, she laid him flat on his back horizontal to the water. Then she slipped back into the water. Slipping her arms around his water-logged cast. The cast was super heavy at this point and was falling apart at her touch. She was tempted to try and unravel it but that would take too long.

Once his casted leg was up on land, she quickly lifted the other leg out. She crawled up next to him. Checking his breathing. It was labored, but she wasn't sure if it was from exertion or from water in his lungs.

She pulled him further up the hill, until he was lying on a flat section. Scanning the area, she located her bright fanny pack. She ran down the path and grabbed it. Sprinting back, she dialed 911 and began to describe what had happened.

She checked his body as requested by the operator. Noting that his face was flushed and his lips were turning blue. The operator informed her that the EMTs were en route and would be there soon.

She continued to rub his arms, trying to get him warm, and comfort but him and her. She kept talking to him. Just random things to keep her centered and to let him know that she was still there. She really wished she could remember more from her CPR/First Aide training.

Finally, the EMTs arrived and they began to work on him. She breathed a sigh of relief once his coloring began to return to normal. The paramedics wrapped a blanket around him, handing her one as well, and slipped an oxygen mask over his head.

They loaded him up on a gurney being extra cautious with his broken leg, the cast was pretty much a lost cause. She was so caught up in watching them wheel him away that she hadn't noticed that an officer was walking towards her.

Twenty minutes of questioning later, seriously why do they always have to question you repeatedly over and over again, she was allowed to leave. Thankful it was her day off, she headed to her car. She wanted a nice, long hot shower and some dry clothes.

She had learned from the EMTs that they were taking him to St Mary's Hospital. That was pretty close to her apartment. She figured she would go check on him later. Give the doctors and nurses time to check him over and provide whatever care he needed.

She was certain they would want to keep him overnight for observation. Didn't they usually do that in these circumstances. Or was that just something they did on tv shows.

An hour later, she walked into the hospital, carrying a bouquet of flowers she had bought in the gift shop. She hoped that she could at least find out his status and leave the flowers with a volunteer or at the nurse's station.

She was happy to learn that he was doing fine, but since she wasn't family, they didn't tell her his name. They promised to put the flowers in his room and let him know that she had stopped by to check in on him. Satisfied that he was going to be okay, she went home.

Two weeks later, Taylor was running along her usual path. Although she hadn't forgotten about her wild adventure that day, she had pushed it to the back of her mind. She had called the next day, again explaining that she was the one to pull him out of the water and just wanted to know that he was indeed okay, and the nurse on duty had told her that he had gone home that morning.

As she neared the end of her run, she noticed a man on crutches near the exact spot where her mystery guy had fallen into the water. She didn't believe in coincidences but was also not sure he would recognize her. There had only been a few times they had looked directly at each other and each time it had been chaotic.

Slowing down, she walked over to stand on the path behind him. She waited until he turned around before she approached him.

"I thought that might be you. I'm not sure if you remember me or not."

"I recognize your voice."

The man hobbled closer to her.

"I never got the chance to say thank you."

"I called the hospital checking on you."

They both nervously blurted out at the same time.

Securing a crutch against his body, the man stuck out his huge hand.

"Hi, my name's Colin. Colin Cassady."

Taylor slipped her hand into his and introduced herself.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Colin. I'm Taylor. Taylor Vaughn."

Taylor nervously twisted the ring on her right hand. She had honestly never expected to meet him. She just chalked it up to a once in a lifetime experience, thankful she had been at the right place at the right time. But now she was unsure really what to say. She was single for a reason. She was not the best when it came to the opposite sex.

Colin motioned toward the bench. Letting Taylor walk in front of him. Taylor held out her hand to hold his crutches as he lowered himself. His leg was in a new cast. It looked different than the one he had been wearing that day.

Colin caught her staring at his leg.

"The hospital used a fiberglass cast this time. I like this one better."

"Was your leg okay? I was afraid I was too rough when I was finally able to get you out of the water."

"Finally?" Colin looked slightly confused.

Taylor smiled, "It took a little while, I actually had you out once and you slipped back into the water. Then I swam us both up to that point up there that is a little lower. It wasn't easy trying to drag you up to the grass."

Colin stared down at the young woman sitting next to him. She wasn't short per se, but he was 6'10" so just about everyone was short next to him.

"Didn't you have anyone to help you? I mean I figured you had called 911 and they had helped pull me out. I remember being loaded into the ambulance."

"No, once I heard you fall into the lake, I immediately jumped in. I only called 911 after we were both out. The play area was full of families, but this area was deserted. So until the paramedics arrived, no one was even aware of what had happened."

Colin was amazed. This woman had singlehandedly saved his life. No one had ever told him what had really happened. Even the officer you stopped by his hospital room had only mentioned that a young woman had called and reported a near drowning.

They sat and talked for a while longer until Colin's friends came by to pick him up. After Colin introduced her to his friends, Sami and Enzo, she excused herself and quietly slipped away.

Colin relayed the story to his friends. They both were equally amazed by the fact that she had managed to pull him out of the water alone as well. Enzo, ever the ladies' man, later asked if he was going to see her again. It was only then that Colin realized they had never exchanged numbers.

He considered looking her up in the phone book and sending her flowers but he wasn't sure if that would seem creepy or not. So he settled for saying a prayer for her every night and thanking God for his special Guardian Angel.


End file.
